The Price of Oil: Corruption

When you have a bad argument, the only way to win is to corrupt the decision-making process. And that’s exactly what the fossil fuel industry does: in order to feed their greed for massive profits, the oil, gas, and coal corporations buy support for their polluting practices.

Oil companies in particular have been enjoying boom times, while many Americans struggle. In just the first half of 2012, the five biggest oil companies earned $62.2 billion in profits. That’s $341 million each day. So it is clear they have plenty to spend on corrupting politics to feed their greed.

What’s more, the fossil fuel industry spends millions upon millions lobbying the members of Congress that they spend so much money in helping to get elected. In 2011, the oil and gas industry alone spent nearly $150 million in lobbying Congress.

In fact, by our measure, big oil gets a 5800% return on the money it spends on Congress through campaign contributions and lobbying. That’s right – $59 for every $1 they put in!

And while Americans struggle to get by, the climate heats up due to emissions from fossil fuels, and Congress pours subsidies to their industry, fossil fuel industry CEOs swim in cash by way of exorbitant salaries and compensation packages.

With so much money to gain and politicians in their pockets, the fossil fuel industry is corrupting our government and force-feeding a status quo energy policy that will lead us to climate catastrophe.

Oil Change International campaigns to expose the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitate the coming transition towards clean energy.